LIMITATION OF DIESEL OIL SALE AFFECTS FISHERMEN

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, 19 (Antara) - State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina's move to limit the sale of subsidized diesel oil has affected fishermen in North Jakarta's Muara Angke Traditional Fishing Port and cut their fish production by about 50 percent.          Some fishermen at Muara Angke have, in the past two months, not taken out their boats for fishing due to scarce diesel oil. Some fishing vessels have had to wait for one month in queue to receive subsidized diesel fuel.          Pertamina has been limiting the sale of its subsidized diesel oil in order to economize on the subsidized quota which, if its sale is not limited, will run out by December 6, 2014.          Fishing vessels have to wait in queue up to one month since Pertamina limited the sale of its subsidized diesel oil last August.          "This happens because the volume of diesel oil distributed to us is less than the need of fishermen at Muara Angke," Bagus Rudiyono, manager of Fishermen's Fuel Refilling Stations (SPBBN) in Muara Angke, said on Thursday.            He added that since last August, the SPBBN in North Jakarta's Muara Angke has been given a quota of 3,600 kiloliters per month.   "Ideally,  Pertamina should supply us about 6,000 to 7,000 kiloliters per month," said Bagus.          This lack of fuel has caused complaints from fishermen, as some have been unable to fish for nearly two months.          "I am sad with this condition. While I cannot go fishing, fish catch products also decline,"  Muara Angke fisherman Arian said on Thursday. He explained that his boat needed 300 liters of diesel fuel per day, using some 1,500 liters for a fishing period of four to five days.          He said that his fishing vessel was still waiting in queue to fill with subsidized diesel fuel at the Muara Angke refilling station.         "We even have to be in queue with other vessels. If the diesel oil supply is finished today, we have to wait again tomorrow," remarked Arian, who usually goes fishing as far as Bangka Belitung waters in South Sumatra province.       Another fisherman, Mukhsin, added that his boat had been idle for one month because he has no diesel oil. "Sales limitations disadvantages us as it weakens and discourages us from going to sea," added Mukhsin, who has been a fisherman since 2002.           Therefore, he expressed hope that the distribution of subsidized fuel would return to normal soon.  "We will accept it, even if the price is raised. What is important for us is that we can go to sea for fishing again," Mukchsin said.          Bagus, of the Muara Angke fishermen's refilling station, said that many fishing vessels were still waiting their turn for diesel fuel. "There are some 200 fishing boats waiting in queue now. While ships are still waiting, other boats also keep coming," Bagus Rudiyono said.          He added that many undesired impacts have surfaced because fishermen had to wait for about one month for fuel. Many ship crew members have become unemployed. "This has the potential to increase the poverty rate among fishermen," he noted.          For fish production is declining because vessels cannot be sent to sea immediately.         "Ideally, arriving ships should directly unload their fish catch and leave soon for fishing at sea. But now, they have to wait in queue first to get diesel fuel," Bagus states.          Further, accumulation of ships at the port has the potential to trigger theft and fire. Thus, a solution to this shortage of fuel needs to be found soon.  "Possibly, it could be overcome by launching a kind of market operation to supply fuel for ships in queue," he added.          As a result of scarce diesel fuel supplies that prevents fishermen from fishing, fish production dropped by about 50 percent at Muara Angke fishing port.          "Usually, fishermen could produced some 20 tons per day, but now production dropped to only 10 tons," Dinta, the head of Muara Anke's Traditional Fishery Product Processing Unit Center, (PHPT), said on Thursday.           Dinta noted that fish production declined because fishing boats were not able to depart.       "Some have to wait for days to get diesel fuel at the SPBBN," Dinta, who has been the PHPT chief since 2006, said, expressing hope that diesel oil distribution will return to normal again.           The PHPT is a government-owned facility leased to traditional fishermen.           "Traditional fishermen could hire one unit of the fish processing center at a cost of Rp75,000 per month," Dinta said. The Muara Angke fish processing center has 200 units hired by about 193 fishermen.          In the meantime, energy observer Sofyano Zakaria said the government should increase the quota of subsidized diesel, which is expected to run out by December 6, 2014.          "In order to meet the need for subsidized diesel until December 31, 2014, the government should increase its quota, namely by a volume needed for another 25 days," remarked Sofyano on Friday.       Pertamina had earlier predicted that subsidized premium gasoline will run out by December 26, and diesel oil by December 6, 2014.         Sofyan predicted that with an average consumption of 48,000 kiloliters per day, an additional quota of 1.2 million kiloliters of subsidized diesel will be needed.***3*** (T.A014/INE/H-YH) (T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 19-09-2014 20:38: